New Paltz, New York Explained

New Paltz
Official Name:Town of New Paltz
Settlement Type:Town
Image Blank Emblem:Wordmark of New Paltz, New York.png
Blank Emblem Link:List of U.S. county and city insignia
Blank Emblem Type:Wordmark
Etymology:Palatine dialect pronunciation of Pfalz
Image Map1:New York in United States (US48).svg
Map Caption1:Location of New York in the United States
Coordinates:41.7481°N -74.085°W
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Type2:County
Established Title:Founded
Established Date:1678
Government Type:Town council
Leader Title:Supervisor
Leader Name:Neil Bettez
Unit Pref:Imperial
Area Footnotes:[1]
Area Total Km2:88.85
Area Total Sq Mi:34.31
Area Land Km2:87.74
Area Land Sq Mi:33.88
Area Water Km2:1.12
Area Water Sq Mi:0.43
Area Water Percent:1.25
Elevation Ft:239
Elevation Min Ft:160
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:14407
Population Density Km2:164.20
Population Density Sq Mi:425.24
Timezone1:EST
Utc Offset1:-5
Timezone1 Dst:EDT
Utc Offset1 Dst:-4
Postal Code Type:ZIP Code
Postal Code:12561
Area Code Type:Area code
Area Code:845
Blank Name:FIPS code
Blank Info:36-111-50562
Blank1 Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank1 Info:00979269
Blank2 Name:Wikimedia Commons
Blank2 Info:New Paltz, New York
Website: Town of New Paltz, NY

New Paltz is an incorporated U.S. town in Ulster County, New York. The population was 14,407 at the 2020 census.[2] The town is located in the southeastern part of the county and is south of Kingston. New Paltz contains a village, also with the name New Paltz. The town is named for Palz (pronounced as /ˈpalts/), the dialect name of the Palatinate, called Pfalz (pronounced as /de/) in standard German.

Due to the presence of what is now the State University of New York at New Paltz, it has been a college town for over 150 years.

History

The town of New Paltz was founded in 1678 by French Huguenots by both patent from the governor and purchase from the local Esopus tribe of the Lenape people. Prior to the purchase of New Paltz during the 17th century, the Esopus tribe had been pressured off much of their land which is now present day Ulster and Sullivan counties, because of conflicts known as the Esopus Wars. As a result, the Esopus were willing to exchange the land for a hefty sum of goods.http://genealogytrails.com/ny/ulster/historyofnewpaltz.html The Huguenots were religious refugees from France who had immigrated via Mannheim in the German Palatinate, where they had settled after fleeing France during religious persecution. They settled in the area of the present-day village of New Paltz (on what is now known as Huguenot Street Historic District) and established their own local government.[3]

The size of the town increased with annexation from surrounding regions in 1775 and 1809. In 1842, part of New Paltz was removed to form the Town of Esopus. More of New Paltz was removed in order to form the towns of Rosendale (1844), Lloyd (1845), and Gardiner (1853).

Geography

The Wallkill River flows northward through New Paltz on its way to join the Rondout Creek, which in turn feeds into the Hudson River. A portion of the Shawangunk Ridge is in the town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 34.31mi2, of which 33.88mi2 is land and 0.43mi2 (1.25%) is water.

Transportation

New Paltz is accessible by a number of different roads. Interstate 87 (the New York State Thruway) is the main thoroughfare and passes through in the eastern part and houses Exit 18 for Route 299. State routes that traverse through are Route 32, Route 208, and Route 299.

The nearest train station is about 11miles away, in Poughkeepsie. Both Amtrak and Metro-North trains serve Poughkeepsie. Adirondack Trailways also provides bus transportation from New Paltz into various locations across multiple states.

The western terminus of the Hudson Valley Rail Trail is located here. The hiking/biking path eventually crosses the Walkway Over The Hudson and becomes the Dutchess Rail Trail that ends in Hopewell Junction.

Education

New Paltz has four public schools (K-12) and is home to a college in the SUNY system:

The town is also home to several private schools, including Mountain Laurel Waldorf School pre-K through grade 8), Montessori of New Paltz (pre-K through grade 3), and Huguenot Street Cooperative Nursery School (pre-K).

Government

The town is governed by a town council, composed of four at-large members and a supervisor. There is also a village of New Paltz within the town, governed by a mayor and a board of trustees. It also had the first Green Party majority council in the nation.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, the population was 14,003. The racial makeup of the town was 84.72% White, 5.35% Black or African American, 0.31% Native American, 4.36% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.46% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.81% of the population.[4]

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the population was 14,407. The racial makeup of the town was 74.01% White, 5.72% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 5.46% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 5.11% from other races, and 8.67% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12.74% of the population.

Historic places

Notable people

Sister city

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2016 U.S. Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. July 5, 2017.
  2. Web site: 2020 Census Redistricting Data: New Paltz town, New York . February 8, 2023 . data.census.gov . U.S. Census Bureau.
  3. http://www.villageofnewpaltz.org/staticpages/index.php?page=nphistory History of the Village of New Paltz
  4. Web site: 2010 Census Redistricting Data: New Paltz town, New York . February 8, 2023 . data.census.gov . U.S. Census Bureau.
  5. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/104465558/profile-of-richard-enroth/ "Student of the Week; Ronald Enroth Plans to Become a Teacher; Like History, Writing, Traveling and Books"